The Important Things in Life

Bear, Lilyth and I all keep little journals in our purses so that we can jot down tidbits of English and Chinese language that is exchanged during our conversations.

Mine is more of a survival guide, and my Chinese girlfriends are always so gracious to write out the characters next to my piyin (Mandarin written out in the Roman alphabet.) My little book has tons of my favorite dishes, basic requests and names of some of Guiyang's major streets written inside. There have been numerous times I have tried to communicate something or another to a Chinese person, unsuccessfully, and then I'll point to that particular thing in my notebook and receive a head nod and excellent service. It works like a dream. 

Both Lilyth and Bear use their journals as a way to learn more about American language by writing down some of the terminology I throw out in conversation. Their English is already so good; I sometimes forget that they miss a lot of the slang I use. Still, they're quick to ask for explanations, and I'm happy to report they're quickly filling their pocket-size journals. 

I was explaining to Bear this evening what it means to get "hit on," and of course she was studiously taking notes. Curious, I asked Bear if I could look through her notebook. I wondered what intuitive and wise insights into American culture I had shared with her. I looked inside and laughed to find the first two subjects listed in her journal: road trips and Starbucks vocabulary. Apparently, I'm teaching my friends the really important things in life.